Introduction to the Block and the Language of Anatomy

Dr. Carole Bennett-Clarke, PhD
2 Nov 2007 @ 8 AM

Objectives

  1. Describe anatomical position. Why is it significant?
    Anatomical position is defined as standing with the arms at the sides and the palms of the hands facing forward (supine), and the fingers pointing down. It is important as it provides a standard reference to describe the relative positions of body parts/regions (eg. the thumbs are lateral to the fingers)
  2. Identify the planes of reference used to locate the structure of the body.
    The sagittal plane divides the body vertically into left and right sections, with the median plane (midsaggital) dividing the body down the middle.
    The coronal (frontal) plane divides the body vertically into front and back sections.
    The transverse (cross-sectional, horizontal) plane divides the body horizontally into upper and lower sections.
  3. Define and be able to properly use descriptive and directional anatomical terms
    See table of definitions below. I paired up the terms as they are generally antonyms.
    Anatomical eponyms are structures that are named after a person (usually the person that discovered it, eg. Circle of Willis). Eponyms will be avoided in this class and they will stick to anatomical names which describe the structure better and are more consistent.
    Anatomical structures can also be derived from the root of the word, as well as the prefix and suffix.

Definitions

Ventral/Anterior
anything on the front surface
Dorsal/Posterior
anything on the back surface


Superior/Cranial
above/towards the head
Inferior/Caudal
below/towards the feet


Medial
towards the midline
Lateral
away from the midline


Internal (describes organs)
towards the center/core
External (describes organs)
away from the center/core


Superficial (describes muscles)
towards the surface
Deep (describes muscles)
away from the surface
Intermediate
between superficial/deep



Proximal
close to it's attachment/origin
Distal
away from the attachment/origin


Flexion
decrease the angle of a joint
Extension
increase the angle of a joint


Abduction
moving away from midline
"abduct from the body"
Adduction
moving towards the midline
"adding to the body"


Rotation
movement along or around an axis
Circumduction
circular movement of a limb that outlines a cone


Supination
turning the palm up
Pronation
turning the palm down


Dorsiflexion
raising the toes up
Plantar Flexion
pushing the toes down


Inversion
turning the sole of the foot medially
Eversion
turning the sole of the foot laterally

Block Introduction Notes


Handouts for unit 1 are handed out in the front of the class, along with three pages of scheduling.

The class is organized in a regional approach (back, arms, chest, abdomen, pelvis, legs, head/neck) which contrasts from a system based approach taught in undergraduate institutions (skeletal, muscular, circulatory, etc) due to the added dissection component. The course objectives cover topics in gross anatomy, skin/integument, microanatomy, and embryology.

Professionalism is also an integral part of the course, within team working, punctuality (on time for lab), completion of assignments, and accepting constructive feedback from faculty and peers. In regards to attendance, lecture requirements are similar to Block 1. Lab attendance is not mandatory, but will be monitored by the staff, so let your lab team know if you will be absent. Attendance is mandatory for all 5 small group case discussion sessions (Unit 1: 11/21, 12/10).

WebCT will be used similiarly to Block 1, with lectures posted when available. Some lecturers (Yeasting) will have no handouts, some (CBC) will use overheads, and some will use lecture outlines (Crissman). The powerpoints for those lecturers using outlines will be posted after their lecture. Discussion boards will also be available on WebCT as well, however they are reserved for the faculty to post answers to commonly asked questions.

Exams are weighted per exam depending on the percentage of the final grade. Written exams are usually 145-150 questions long, and the lab practical is limited to a maximum of 85 questions. The breakdown is as follows:
  • Quizzes 5% (Quiz 1 2%, Quiz 2 3%)
  • Exam 1 30.5% (Written 14%, Practical 16.5%)
  • Exam 2 30.5% (Written 14%, Practical 16.5%)
  • Exam 3 33% (Written 16.5%, Practical 16.5%)
  • Evaluations 1% (3 team dissection evaluations, 2 case presentations at 3 pt. each)

The textbook list is listed in the handouts and on WebCT. Basically, have a reference book that is based on a regional approach (has a chapter titled "Back" and not "Circulatory System"). You must have an embryology textbook, although last year's edition is fine. Also, every team has to have a Grant's dissector and atlas in lab. You can purchase your own dissector if you wish to read the dissections ahead of time. Notecards are really only useful for studying.

CBC mentions that the faculty have a combined 200+ years of teaching, so enjoy the quality! They are very approachable, but do not expect them to review the material with you. Instead, come with a set of questions, and they'll do their best to answer them and clarify any confusion.

There will be an additional class on Wednesday 11/7 at 1 PM in the usual room. Dr. CBC will be giving an orientation to gross anatomy lab, discussing rules and whatnot. They are using a new system in labs this year, designed to allow students better access to the faculty. Labs are split in two this year (odd tables vs. even tables). Some labs will only have half the tables present (eg. Lab 1 split into Thursday and Friday sessions) and some labs will be split in two on the same day (eg. Lab 2 where some teams come in at 1, some come in at 2:30). If you are scheduled to come later in the session (eg. 2:30) please do not come early and bug the faculty with questions, allow the first group to have the full attention of the faculty.

On exam days, there will be no PBL session before the test so we get 2 full study days. Half the lab will have the practical from 1-3, and half from 3-5 (exam about 113 minutes long). Surgery club will have mock lab practicals so you can get used to the process. Do not ask what time your lab exam is for December 14 as it has not be scheduled yet. The scheduling is random, but if you get the early slot for the first exam (before winter break), then you will be guaranteed the late slot for the last exam (before spring break) to be fair. You can switch the times with someone else by the both of you sending e-mails to Dr. CBC.

The quiz has been rescheduled by majority vote to November 19th at 8:30 AM. It was originally 45 questions long, but will be shorter now obviously as it covers less than the intended material. The quiz will consist of all material up to that point (11/2 to 11/16).

Resources


Last Year's Objectives